Remorse
by myjunkisyou573926
Summary: Crappy title, sorry. On her way home from church, Martha Bessell stumbles upon none other then Moritz Steifel, who has been kicked out of his house. ONESHOT


**A/N Urg.....why won't Microsoft work? Now I have to use Wordpad......*grumble* Anyway, I've been working on this for two days, and it's my first Moritz-related fic. Martha/Moritz. Enjoy!**

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It was yet another gloomy afternoon in spring. A thunderstorm was expected, and the children, who had been at church rehearsing for the Michaelmas Chorale, were expected to be home at once. Martha Bessell, wearing a heavy black coat, walked in the increasing rain faster than the others, knowing what would happen if she wasn't home on time.

After walking for about ten minutes in the woods, Martha paused under a tree, smoothing out her wrinkled dress and fixing her nearly loose braids. Rain or shine, the Bessells' wanted their daughter to look her finest at all times, so as not to ruin her reputation. Or else.

Martha rebuttoned her coat. She was forced to wear it to church today, even though it was warm when she had left. However, now she was glad that she had brought it. She pulled it tightly over her brown dress and kept walking quickly through the woods.

After a few more minutes, Martha became tired. She slowed down, nearly ambling now. As she sauntered past an oak tree, she noticed a person sitting under it, head buried in hands. She stopped, realizing that the person was none other then Moritz Steifel, her secret crush. He was huddled under the oak tree, trying to keep warm.

"Go away," he mumbled, hearing Martha's footsteps approaching him but still not lifting his head from his palms.

"Moritz, thank God you're here! We heard that you were missing-" Martha excitedly startedbut was interrupted again by Moritz.

"I said go away!" The boy nearly yelled, finally unburying his face from his arms. Martha noticed that his eyes were a dark shade of red from crying.

Martha stepped back, shocked by the usually quiet boy's outburst. She remembered walking past his house on her way to school a few weeks ago and hearing Herr Steifel's yells echoing through the house. Since then, somehow she felt closer to Moritz because of that incident.

Martha tried to console Moritz. "What are you doing out here?" She stepped closer to the shivering boy.

Moritz snapped back. "If you must know, I'm not allowed back home." His voice got softer and timid. "I failed." Moritz quivered, both from the cold and the tears he was trying to hold back.

"Oh," Martha replied, feeling remorse and sympathy for the depressed boy. She wanted to help him, to stay with him and comfort him, but dark clouds loomed overhead, threatening a sudden downpour.

She noticed Moritz shivers and felt even worse. Martha remembered just a few days ago what it was like to sleep outside, wearing inadequate clothes. She then remembered her heavy coat, and quickly tore it off, handing it to Moritz. Martha knew that she would pay for it when she got home, but she felt that it was worth it. She really cared for Moritz, and couldn't bear to see him suffer.

Moritz looked up at her, slightly stunned at her offering, but took advantage of it and, with quivering hands, took the coat from her. He whispered a silent thanks through his tears and stood up, wiping his eyes, to say goodbye to his new friend.

As Moritz stood up, her long coat draping around him, Martha suddenly felt depressed. She may never see her beloved Moritz again. Without thinking twice, she leaned over to Moritz's face, and planted a soft but quick kiss onto his lips.

He stepped back, in both shock and joy from what Martha had just done. Moritz had never been kissed before, and was a bit more than slightly terrified. Apparently, Martha was too, and she turned around and started back to her house.

As Moritz sat down and leaned against the oak once more, looking in the direction where Martha was walking, he became happy for the first time in many days.

Moritz had finally found a kindred spirit.

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**Hehe, hope ya liked it. Not my best, but yet I thought that the idea was cute, LOL. R&R, por favor!**


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